Strategies for marketing your poultry

Poultry farming continues to grow as the main source of affordable protein from eggs and chicken meat.

The sector’s growth is also fuelled by the fact that it requires relatively little land and can generate regular income for farmers.

However, many poultry farmers discover that producing birds or eggs is easier than selling them profitably and consistently.

High feed costs, disease outbreaks, stiff competition, and poor market planning often reduce returns.

Accessing reliable markets can be a major challenge, especially for beginners. The good news, however, is that with proper planning, quality production, and smart marketing, poultry farming can become a sustainable and rewarding business.

Before starting a poultry enterprise, it is important to understand your target customers. A farmer should first identify whether they intend to sell eggs, broilers, kienyeji (indigenous) chicken, or processed chicken products. It is equally important to know who the likely buyers are. These may include households, hotels, butcheries, schools, supermarkets, caterers, or traders.

Different areas have different preferences. In Nairobi and other urban centres, many consumers prefer dressed and cleaned chicken because of convenience, while in the rural areas, live birds may move faster.

Visiting markets, hotels, and local shops and talking to traders can provide useful information on prices, customer preferences, and current demand before investing money.

Understanding seasonal demand is another important strategy. Poultry products do not sell at the same rate throughout the year.

Demand often rises during festive seasons, such as Christmas, Easter, Ramadan or Eid celebrations. School holidays, weddings, and family ceremonies also create strong demand for eggs and chicken meat.

Since broilers take about six to eight weeks to mature, chicks should be stocked early enough so that birds are ready when market demand peaks. For many small farmers, the first and easiest market is the people already around them. Family members, neighbours, church groups, chama members, SACCO colleagues, and workmates often become the first loyal customers. These buyers are easier to approach because they already know the farmer and may trust the quality of the products.

Modern poultry marketing also requires using social media. A smartphone can be a powerful business asset when used well.

Platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X allow farmers to advertise products at low cost. Clear photos of fresh eggs, mature birds, dressed chicken, or day-old chicks can attract buyers quickly. Farmers should include prices, location, and contact details in their posts.

Short videos showing clean housing, healthy birds, or happy customers can also build trust and increase sales. Quality remains one of the biggest drivers of repeat business. Customers return when they receive clean eggs, healthy birds, honest weights, and hygienically prepared products.

Farmers should maintain clean poultry houses, provide fresh water, use quality feed, and follow proper vaccination programmes.

Birds should not be raised using unethical shortcuts such as the misuse of antibiotics or unsafe additives.

A good reputation spreads quickly, just as a bad reputation does. In many cases, customers will recommend reliable farmers to friends and relatives, creating free marketing. Many poultry farmers depend heavily on brokers or middlemen, especially when birds are ready for sale. While brokers can help move stock quickly, they often reduce the farmer’s profit margins. Farmers should work toward building direct relationships with households, hotels, restaurants, butcheries, schools, and caterers. Supplying directly usually provides better returns and helps establish long-term customers who can order regularly.

Convenience is becoming more important in today’s market. Many customers prefer products delivered to their homes or businesses rather than travelling to buy them. Farmers who offer delivery services often gain an advantage over competitors. Delivering eggs weekly to households, supplying chicken to restaurants, or using boda boda riders for same-day deliveries can improve sales. In growing urban areas such as Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru, convenience is increasingly a major selling point.

Pricing products correctly is equally important. Kenyan consumers are generally price-sensitive and often compare prices before buying. A farmer should know the true cost of production, including feed, chicks, vaccines, labour, transport, and packaging.

Selling too cheaply can create losses, while charging too much without added value may drive customers away. Competitive pricing combined with quality service is usually the best approach.

Farmers can also improve sales by differentiating their products. Instead of selling eggs in the same way as everyone else, a farmer can grade them by size, package them neatly, or brand trays with a farm name and phone number.

Chicken can be sold as dressed birds, cut portions, marinated ready-to-cook packs, or premium kienyeji products.

Joining farmer groups or cooperatives can further improve access to markets. Groups often help members buy feed in bulk, access transport, receive training, negotiate better prices, and share market opportunities.

Success in poultry farming is not only about raising birds but also about selling consistently and profitably. Farmers who understand their market, maintain quality, communicate well, and build customer trust usually perform better than those who focus only on production. 

Dr Messo is the company veterinarian, Kenchic.